21 May 2004 02:23
Polls show public support for Russian Far East tycoon governor
The Chukotka Autonomous Area is bankrupt, the Audit Chamber concluded, following an inspection into the activities of
the local government, Audit Chamber auditor Sergey Ryabukhin, has told Ekho Moskvy radio.
He sees no need to take any radical measures in respect of Chukotka, however. Two years ago, he said, the situation
was worse. Now, however, infrastructure in the form of social facilities has been built, roads are being built and there
is altogether evident progress. Speaking on behalf of the Audit Chamber, Ryabukhin promised that all necessary documents
would be now handed over to parliament, the government and the prosecutor's office. It is up to the latter to
decide, the auditor said.
The results of the Audit Chamber inspection came as no surprise to Chukotka governor Roman Abramovich, his [first]
deputy, Andrey Gorodilov, told Ekho Moskvy.
[Gorodilov] He was taken aback by what they said about the bankruptcy, however, because in the governor's first
message, which was in 2001, Roman Arkadyevich told our legislative body: According to the results of the inventory we
have made in this brief period, I can say that Chukotka is bankrupt. Even more, I would say that Chukotka is even beyond
bankruptcy.
The Audit Chamber came to us in a very formal and strict way. We knew about this situation and the results of the
Audit Chamber will not change our plans in any way. We knew we had this problem and therefore we took progressive
measures to regulate it.
[Correspondent] Gorodilov said that the district was continuing to develop. Opinion polls show that 97 per cent of
the residents of Chukotka back the present governor.
[In a longer version of the "exclusive interview" broadcast on Ekho Moskvy, Moscow, in Russian 1840 gmt 21
May 04, Gorodilov said the Chukotka administration had no complaints about the Audit Chamber inspection. He reiterated
that the debts were due to the previous administration and said the current administration had restructured the debts
and was continuing measures to tackle the situation. He said plans were under way to build a new gas-fired heating plant
in Anadyr, to revamp the airport and build new schools]
[Ekho Moskvy radio] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
